17 Of BNE’s Most ‘Grammable Dishes Because Instagram Eats First
Feed your feed
By Dinushka Gunasekara | 31st March 2022Food for fuel? Nah, it’s all about the feed!
Society has long evolved from eating grub that merely keeps the cogs turning – nowadays a plate serves as a canvas with a wealth of opportunity to please both your flavour and aesthetic tastes. In fact, to cement yourself as a worthy contender on the Brisbane culinary scene, it’s not enough to just know your way around a frying pan. A true master chef is equal parts Rembrandt as they are Ramsay.
Clean your camera and tell your hunger to wait, because we’ve found Brisbane’s most Instagrammable dishes you need to snap before you bite.
By the way, we consider everyone in this list the best of the best! To make finding your next favourite that much easier, we’ve ordered the list alphabetically by suburb and also have filtering tabs for your convenience. Did we miss someone from the list? Let us know here! Hide the form
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Hellenika
Fortitude Valley
Easy on the eyes and incredible on the palate, Simon Gloftis’ Greek restaurant and bar is what ‘gram goals are made of – what else would you expect from the poolside resident of Brisbane’s arguably most beautiful hotel? Simple, authentic, and served on a backdrop of relaxed resort energy and luxury, these plates are worth getting dressed up for.
Essa
Fortitude Valley
Experimental flavours that push the culinary boundaries are bound to also double as gorgeous fodder for your lens, and this relative newcomer in the bespoke dining scene is the case and point. With the fresh and local produce they use serving as the only creative parameters, Essa’s moody interiors pair well with the divinely understated dishes.
The Green
Fortitude Valley
Serving rich Lebanese flavours in lush surroundings, this greenhouse-meets-kitchen is all about beautifying life’s everyday moments, and it shows in their gorgeous plating. Both the breakfast and lunch menu offer rustic colours and a showcase of real food that will fill your soul to the brim.
Biànca
Fortitude Valley
A dedication to perfecting simple Italian flavours doubles for the minimalist presentation at Biànca – looking good is easy when the food is this phenomenal. With each dish handmade from scratch in honour of fresh produce and seasonality, the chic and heavenly interiors also make framing your feed as effortless as point, and shoot!
Hôntô
Fortitude Valley
The epitome of food that looks too good to eat are the interpretations of classic Japanese dishes that are served at Hôntô. With an open-view kitchen so you can watch each ingredient be meticulously placed, the inventiness behind each culinary creation lights up the moody room decor.
Za Za Ta
Fortitude Valley
Give a kid vegetables that look like this and they’ll never complain! This soulful and vibrant all-vegetarian haven makes eating the rainbow a delightful reality. Honourable mention to the neighbouring Bar Kazba, because their punch in a disco ball is a photo opp you can’t miss.
Halo Ground
Fortitude Valley
On an unassuming Valley street, you’ll find brunch dishes that will certainly have your eyes bigger than your stomach. With a mission to create a memorable experience for all their visitors, Halo Ground certainly has done the trick across their concise but delightful menu of eye-catching dishes with their souffle pancakes reigning supreme.
Rothwell’s
Brisbane City
In the handful of months since its opening, Rothwell’s has been serving up carefully crafted plates in a historic setting made for long lunches, evening cocktails, and intimate moments. The simple, seasonal dishes are presented in a no-fuss approach, letting the incredible ingredients and flavours do the talking.
Andonis Cafe & Bar
Fortitude Valley, Yeerongpilly, Yeronga
Is maximalism your kind of vibe? Then Andonis has got you covered, with their decadent modern Australian cuisine made complete with a Greek twist. Making good use of the space on the plate, edible flowers and micro-herbs complete the look, with flavour that certainly packs a punch.
Morning After
West End
A balanced menu that still offers a welcomed touch of indulgence, West End’s iconic cafe is also quite the looker. From the blueberry pancakes with vanilla cream cheese to the breakfast carbonara with 63 degree egg, Morning After also has excellent lighting to snap up each delicious bite.
Rogue Bistro
Newstead
The degustations here will not only knock the socks off of your palate, but you’ll definitely want to grab the camera for all six courses. With a menu that rotates monthly (including a feast for our plantbased friends), the dark interiors won’t stop each perfectly executed dish from brightening up your day.
Elska
New Farm
The 2022 Queensland Restaurant of the Year certainly knows how to plate up a masterpiece, and it shows in their hyper-seasonal menu that changes on a daily basis. Working with local produce often harvested on the day, both the dinner and long lunch degustation are crafted with Nordic cooking techniques for an experience unlike any you’ve ever seen before.
Miss Jones
New Farm
Start your day the right way by treating your eyes to the gloriously bright food at this New Farm cafe. With colourful schmears, edible flowers, and good energy always flowing in the pastel oasis, keep an eye on their ‘gram for framing inspo and updates on their weekly specials.
Mylk + Ko
New Farm
Tucked away in the leafy streets of New Farm, you’ll find wholesome meals that never compromise on taste, quality, and good looks. Whether you prefer your brekky sweet or savoury, the cute-as-pie offerings will have you waking up on the right side of the bed without fail.
Piggy Back Cafe
Jindalee
When a nutritionist advises you to ‘eat the rainbow’, they probably mean get in your variety of fruit and veg, but Piggy Back Cafe offers a new interpretation with their colourful creations. Most renowned for their vibrant coffee art, their decadent breakfast menu pairs perfectly for an eye-catching sensation.
Deer Duck Bistro
Auchenflower
Refined yet riveting, Deer Duck Bistro offers a unique concept: a visual, taste, and sound renaissance experience. When embarking on the innovative and satisfying culinary adventures that are the Deer Duck menus, you can expect modern Australian and European cuisine served on a quirky, artistic backdrop to please.
e’cco Bistro
Newstead
If the myriad of awards won by Philip Johnson’s landmark bistro doesn’t speak for itself, its dishes most certainly will, with elegance and grace seasoning each offering. Equal parts simple and clean as it is gobsmacking, you best believe each ingredient placed on the plate has been carefully considered and delivered with dedication.
Industry Beans
Newstead
Housed in an architecturally designed warehouse, on the backstreets of Newstead Industry Beans is the place to be for a unique brunch and coffee experience. In fact, their dishes are also often a work of architecture themselves, delicately stacked and expertly placed with yum factor to boot.
